The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender (Region 2)

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All Rise...

Judge Paul Pritchard is color blind.

The Charge

"Sometimes a cigar is more than a cigar."

The Case

Director Mark Rappaport plunders cinema's golden age to present what he
believes to be the secret history of Hollywood in The Silver Screen: Color
Me Lavender (Region 2). According to Rappaport, the likes of Fred Astaire,
Danny Kaye, and Cary Grant were just some of the legends that were (willingly or
otherwise) involved in covertly spreading gay influence through the medium of
film. Aided by Dan Butler (Frasier),
who presents and narrates this documentary, Rappaport uses his extensive
knowledge of classic cinema to present a succession of clips that he believes
support his claims. So, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby's Road To… movies
are scrutinized for their fondness for ass jokes. Even a gag where Crosby and
Hope inadvertently kiss when the girl they are aiming for dodges them is overly
scrutinized. Everything, including Kirk Douglas' choice of wardrobe, comes into
question. Poor old Jerry Lewis is even questioned for sticking his tongue out at
a young boy. In fact, anyone who is in touch with their feminine side becomes a
target for Rappaport and his burning need to out, if not them, then their
roles.

Now, when Rappaport raises the subject of why audiences (particularly back
in cinema's golden age) found the suggestion of homosexuality in movies
humorous, whilst finding it unacceptable in real life, he hits upon a far more
worthy topic of debate. This is a pivotal moment of the documentary, coming in
at around the 20-minute mark. It suggests Rappaport has something to say, but
instead of pushing on down this route, Color Me Lavender quickly reverts
back to type and goes back to pointing out suggestions of homosexuality in old
movie clips, safe in the knowledge that, out of context, these clips mean such
claims carry more weight. As with Rock Hudson's Home Movies, many of
these arguments are tenuous at best, and rely on a quip from Dan Butler to
distract the audience's attention from the total lack of facts. At 100 minutes,
this repetitive style of filmmaking outstays its welcome by a good hour.

If Rappaport is so sure of his claims, or rather suggestions, then why does
he not go further and attempt to provide any concrete evidence? There are no
interviews to add credence to anything he implies. Did he even try to speak to
people within the industry, or their families? Without any such evidence,
Color Me Lavender is nothing more than someone shouting "gay"
at collection of old movie clips whenever there's even the slightest
innuendo.

Ultimately there's a fatal flaw in Rappaport's filmmaking: If all his claims
are true, and that Hollywood is indeed one big gay industry, well, so what?
Where's your point (if you'll excuse the term)? It was suggested in Rock
Hudson's Home Movies, but made far more clear here, that Rappaport
apparently believes heterosexuals are shocked by the sight of homosexuals in the
movies. In these more enlightened times, especially with regard to how society
at large treats the subject of homosexuality, I'd like to think people care
little for whether an actor or actress is gay or straight. Who gives a damn
whether a movie is littered with subtle gay in-jokes or not? If I'm entertained,
I couldn't care less either way. Had he pursued the question of why audiences
find humor in the sight of Bob Hope in drag, or even addressed the issue of why
gay actors suppress their sexuality from the public, Rappaport could have been
onto something worthwhile; this is just pointless, and considering the
persecution people have—and still do—face for their sexuality, more
than a little aggravating.

Presented in a 1.33:1 transfer, Color Me Lavender has acceptable
picture quality, which varies wildly from one clip to the next. The stereo
soundtrack suffers from vastly differing volume levels. The sole extra on the
disc is the short film, John Garfield, which briefly explores the actor's
career.